Composition cork.



J. A. JONES. COMPOSITION 003K.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1907.

903,865. Patnted Nov. 17, 1908..

JOHN K. JONES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMPOSITION conx.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ndv. 17, 1908.

Application filed. June 12, 1907. Bartel No. 378,599.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, JOHN A. JONES, a citi-1 zen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county ofNew York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulComposition Cork ofwhich the following is a specification. 1

This invention relates to compositioncork.

The main object of the invention is to provide a composltion cork whichcan be used for all purposes for which corks, whatever the form thereof,made from cork wood, may be employed.

A particular object ofthe invention is to provlde a com osition corkcapable of such use which wi l withstand a considerable amount of heatand pressure, as for example the heat of pasteurization employed inpasteurizing beer and similar liquids, and the pressures usually foundin bottles containing carbonated beverages.

Theprocess of producing composition cork of this character comprisesessentially the mixing of suitably granulated cork with a binder such asa solution ofpure rubber, and afterward compressing the granulated corkand heating it to a suflicient temperature While in the compressedcondition to retain it substantially in the form to which it was cork,which has been mixed w1th a suitable binder, into rods of compositioncork. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation illustrating means forcompressin such a cork rod ina tube. Fig. 3.is a simi ar View of a tubewith a cork rod held therein under compression.

4 and 5 are details illustrating in end Fi s. and side elevationrespectively a finished cork rod, and means for cutting the same up intocork disks.

In carrying my invention into effect I may form the com osition corkinto solid pieces of any desired shape and size by utilizing a suitablemold in which to form the same.

a In order, however, to form cork rods, and

corkdisks from such rods, I prefer to-make use "of a cylinder or tube ofconsiderable strength, which may be filled with ,granulated cork whichhas been mixed with a binder and into which \the granulated material maybe forced into a compact mass.

Usually this cork will be filled into such a tube or cylinder, which ishere indicated by 2, by tamping it in with a plunger such as 3, thegranulated cork being preferably 'led 'to the receiving end of the tube2 by means of a hopper or funnel, such as 4:, the outlet from ,which issubstantially of the sarfie diameter as the receiving end of thecylinder 2 and registers therewith. By means of the plunger 3 thegranulated cork in the hopper or funnel 4 1s forced into the cylinder 2and tamped down by repeated blows until the 7 cylinder is filled withcork in a state of considerable compression. I

'As soon as the cylinder has been filled with approximately all thegranulated cork that can be forced into it by this mode of fillin andcompressing the granulated mat'eria additional pressure may be broughttobear by means of a pair of plungers, such as 5 and 6, fittingtheopposite ends of thecylinder 2. These two plungers may be operated bypower in any suitable manner, as,

by the reciprocating compressors 7 and '8 which force in the plungers 5and 6 to the positions shown in Fig. 3, in which they may 1' be held bypins, such as 9 and 10, passing through'suitable openings, such as 11and 12,

in the tubeBand through corresponding openings in the plungers 5- and 6.These plun ers 5 and 6 thus constitute plugs for c osing the ends of thecylinders 2 after the cork has been fully compressed therein.

It will be noticed that the cork in the cylin- (ler in Fig. 1 iscompressed to approxi, mately one-third its original length by theplungers or plugs 5 and 6, although the com pression may be carried toany desired point within limits. The material which is placedin thehopper 4 and compressed into the cylinder 2 is chiefly granulated cork.The cork should be granulated to. such .an extent that the inajorportionthereof will go through a.

screen of about three-sixteenths inch mesh, but the finer particles ofcork and the cork".-

dust may all be left in the mass and utilized. After granulation thereis added to the cork a' binder which is preferably a solution of' purerubber containing, or to which has -beenadded a'vulcanizing medium. Inthis solution sulfur, and gasolene or any other suitbe made.

able volatile solvent of rubber may be employed. The proportions whichthe different ingredients may be mixed'will .vary according to thecharacter of the article to For cork rods such asare shown in thedrawings two ounces of anulated eork by weight and approximate y one andone-half-Duncesbyf measure ofrubber solution may be combined andthoroughly mixed so that every particle of the cork is covered with athin film of vulcanizable binder. In the solution so combined with thecork I obtain good results by combining a pro sti-, -mately one ounceofrubber by weig t with a pint of gasolene, benzin or naphtha or otherrubber solvent by measure,.th1s solution containing a suflicientquantity of sulfur to assure vulcanization in*the granulatedmass afterit is properly heated.

v In preparing the inaterialsfor heating,

. the cork and the rubber solution are first volatile substances at thisst various operations and devices. Afte thoroughly-mixed-so that everyparticle of cork is covered with a thin film of the vulcanizable liquid.The volatile portionsof the solution are driven 01f in ny suitable way,"either by permitting the material to stand and the volatile substancesto escape, or bysubjecting the material to a tem' erature of about 70 F.to volatilize the so vent quickly. It is not essential to drive ofl thee of the process, though it is advisable to 0 so.

- The granulated cork, after thoroughly mixing it with the solution justdescribed, is then packed into cylinders, such as 2, or any other formof mold, as in the manner before described, that is, by tampi orotherwise fillin the granulated mhteria into tubes or cylin ers, asshown and described in con nection. with Fig. 1. "This tampin produces asubstantially even and uni ormj rod throughout the length thereof, andthis univ formity of compression is assured by subsequently forcing inthe plun ers or In 5 and 6 from both ends of th tube, the drk rod beingcompressed to substantially the same extent throughout its length bythese r com ression the molded composition cork is sub ected to theaction of heat for the urpose of effecting vulcanization of the reatively compressed material.

small quantity of rubber contained in-the desired temperature ismaintained for from twenty to thirty-five 'minut%. The heat isordinarily a plied directly to the metallic hire the mass of compressedma-' stantially homogeneous body of consisting of .manently united withall the The temperature em-. ployed may be that of soft vulcanizationand .may vary from 125 to 350 F. -Usually the and the disk beingstantiall no holes in them. The cork rods'so fo l-med may be cut up intopleces of'any desired lengths, this being dependent u on the use towhich such cut pieces are to e put. Figs: 4 and 5 I have illustrated at13 and 14 a cutter and its shaft for severing the cork rod intosections. Iiere thiscork rod, which is designated by 15, is cut intoshort lengths to form cork disks, such as 16, each of these disks beingonly one-eighth inch or less in thickness, firm 'and close-grained,

"with no holes of any kind inthem and having the p. rticles of cork sointimately united that they will withstand 'all temperatures employed inpasteurizing beer, etc., and all pressures to which bott es containingcar'- bonated liquids are subjected.

An important advantage resulting from the use of corks or cork disksmade in the manner herein described is that they have great elasticityin the direction of the line of'compression, that is tosay, in thedirection of the thickness of the cork disks, and this. is a veryimportant factor in sealin disks to be used in beer bottles and for anaogous purposes.

What I- 'claim is: v 1. Composition cork, constituting a subso id corkanules of pure cork covered with thin coat ngs of-a binderfwhich unitesnules and is insoluble by', and suball theafir stanti yneutral in thepresence of, water,

beer, and similar beverages both at normal and at high temperaturesandpressures.

- 2. Composition -cork, constituting a sub-v stantially homogeneous bodyof solid cork consisting of granules of with thin coatings of ru urecork covered r which is pe ranules by soft vulcanization and is insolule by, and substantially neutral in the presence of, water, beer andsimilar: beverages both at normal and at .hi'ghtemperatures and pres- 3.solid homogeneous elastic composition cork disk,'consisting* of granulesof cork covered with thin coatin is permanently united with all thegranules by soft vulcanization and is insolubleby, and substantiallneutral the presence of, water, beer an similar beverages both atnormaland 'at'higli temperatures and pres sures.

4. A solid homo neous elastic composition cork disk,'cons1sting ofgranules of cork covered with thin coatings of rubber which 7 is pernently united with allthe granules of rubber which by so vulcanizationwhile the cork and the rubber are in a compressed state, said rubberbeer an similar beverages ,both. at normal and at high temperatures andpressures.

insoluble by, and subneutral -1n the presence of, water,

-Ci r recti0n in Letters Patent' No. 903,865.

stantially homogeneous body of solid cork having its air cells"substantially unclogged and of substantially the same resiliency asnatural cork wood and consisting of granules of pure cork covered with'thin coatings of a binder which unites all the granules but does notimpregnate them and which is insoluble by, and substantially neutral inthe presence of, water, beer and similar beverages both atnormal and athigh temperatures and pressures.

6. Composition cork embodying a substantially homogeneous body of solidcork inca able of shrinkage under-any ordinary con itions of atmosphereor use as a sealing medium and consisting of ranules of pure corkcovered with thin coatings of a binder which unites all the granules andis insoluble by water, beer and similar beverages both at normal and athigh temperatures and pressures.

the Patent Ofiice.

[sEALi] Signed and sealed this 226. day of December, A, D., 1908.

7. Composition cork constituting :1. sub

stantially homogeneous body ofsolid cork normally expansible andincapable ofshrinkmosphere or use as a sealing-medium and age under anyordinary conditions of atmosphere or use as a sealing medium andconsisting of granules of cork covered with thin'coatings of a binderwhich unites all the granules and is insoluble by, and substantiallyneutral in the presence'of, water, beer and similar beveragesboth atnormal and at high temperatures and ressures. 4 Signed at'New York, in te county of New York, and State of New York, this 11th day of June, A.D. 1907. j d

, JOHN .A. JONES.

Witnesses: v v i EDGAR A. FELnows, ROBERT CHAMPION.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 903,865, grantedNovember 17,1908, upon the application of John A; Jones, of New York, N.Y., f0r an improvement I Composition Cork, an error appears in theprinted specification requiring correction, 7' as follows:. Page 3, line'25, consisting-ofthe words mosphere or @asa sealing medium and shouldbe strickeuout; and that the said Letters Pateiit'should be read withthis correction therein that the same may conform to'therecord of thecase in c. c. BILLINGs, Acting Coirim'iss'io ner of Patents. I

-Ci r recti0n in Letters Patent' No. 903,865.

stantially homogeneous body of solid cork having its air cells"substantially unclogged and of substantially the same resiliency asnatural cork wood and consisting of granules of pure cork covered with'thin coatings of a binder which unites all the granules but does notimpregnate them and which is insoluble by, and substantially neutral inthe presence of, water, beer and similar beverages both atnormal and athigh temperatures and pressures.

6. Composition cork embodying a substantially homogeneous body of solidcork inca able of shrinkage under-any ordinary con itions of atmosphereor use as a sealing medium and consisting of ranules of pure corkcovered with thin coatings of a binder which unites all the granules andis insoluble by water, beer and similar beverages both at normal and athigh temperatures and pressures.

the Patent Ofiice.

[sEALi] Signed and sealed this 226. day of December, A, D., 1908.

7. Composition cork constituting :1. sub

stantially homogeneous body ofsolid cork normally expansible andincapable ofshrinkmosphere or use as a sealing-medium and age under anyordinary conditions of atmosphere or use as a sealing medium andconsisting of granules of cork covered with thin'coatings of a binderwhich unites all the granules and is insoluble by, and substantiallyneutral in the presence'of, water, beer and similar beveragesboth atnormal and at high temperatures and ressures. 4 Signed at'New York, in te county of New York, and State of New York, this 11th day of June, A.D. 1907. j d

, JOHN .A. JONES.

Witnesses: v v i EDGAR A. FELnows, ROBERT CHAMPION.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 903,865, grantedNovember 17,1908, upon the application of John A; Jones, of New York, N.Y., f0r an improvement I Composition Cork, an error appears in theprinted specification requiring correction, 7' as follows:. Page 3, line'25, consisting-ofthe words mosphere or @asa sealing medium and shouldbe strickeuout; and that the said Letters Pateiit'should be read withthis correction therein that the same may conform to'therecord of thecase in c. c. BILLINGs, Acting Coirim'iss'io ner of Patents. I

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 903,865, grantedNovember 17, 1908,

upon the application of John A. Jones of New York,

an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction,

Composition Cork,

as follows: Page 3, line 25, consisting of the words medium and withthis correction therein that the same may conform to the Patent Office.

N. Y., for an improvement in mosphere or u seas a sealing should bestricken out; and that the said Letters Patent should be read the recordof the case in Signed and sealed this 22d day of December, A. D., 1908.

[SEAL] G. C. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

